A Masterpiece Completed: Official Grand Opening of the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts

KINGSTON, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Sept. 20, 2014) - The Queen's University community, as well as visitors and residents of the City of Kingston and the surrounding communities in Eastern Ontario, will now benefit from the new Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts at Queen's University. The Centre is home to the University's Department of Film and Media and will provide teaching, performance and exhibition spaces for the School of Music, the Department of Drama and the Bachelor of Fine Art Program

The 80,000-square-foot facility combines the best in performance design and technology and features a 560-seat concert and recital hall with superior acoustics, a drop-down screen for film presentations, a film screening room, a sound studio and recording facility, a 150-seat studio theatre, an art gallery, classrooms, and exhibition and rehearsal spaces.

Located on the shores of Lake Ontario, the Centre will also benefit the people of Kingston and the surrounding communities in Eastern Ontario. In addition to being available for use by community organizations, its superior performance and recording facilities will help attract high calibre artists of national and international acclaim as well as showcase emerging performers with exciting repertoires sure to engage and delight audiences across Eastern Ontario.

Quick Facts

The Government of Canada is contributing up to $15 million through the Major Infrastructure Component of the 2007 Building Canada Fund.

The Government of Ontario has contributed $15 million to the project.

The City of Kingston is contributing $6 million to this project.

Queen's University is contributing $5 million to this project.

The Bader family is contributing $31 million to this project.

The total project cost of $72 million.

Quotes

"This world-class arts facility will create jobs and economic growth by providing Queen's University, as well as visitors and residents of the City of Kingston and the surrounding communities in Eastern Ontario, with a state-of-the-art cultural and artistic hub for performances, education, creativity and training. This impressive Centre will have a tremendous impact on this community for decades to come."

Pierre Lemieux

Member of Parliament for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs, and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec

"Universities not only shape tomorrow's citizens, entrepreneurs and leaders, they also play a vital role in the cultural and economic activity of their communities. Ontario is proud to support the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts on its mission to enhance arts education for students at Queen's University, bring world class performing arts to the Kingston area, and stimulate the local economy."

The Honorable Reza Moridi

Ontario Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities

"The Bader Centre is a significant addition to Kingston's cultural resources. This Centre has not only transformed Kingston's waterfront with its bold and contemporary style, but also promises to energize and enhance arts learning, skill building, production and presentation in our community."

His Worship Mark Gerretsen

Mayor of the City of Kingston

"It has been a longstanding dream for Queen's to have a dedicated concert hall, not to mention a building purpose-built for the advancement of our fine arts programs. This extraordinary centre will now allow our students to learn in state-of-the-art facilities and will also provide much-needed space for collaboration across several creative disciplines."

Dr. Daniel Woolf

Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Queen's University

"As lovers of the arts, it has been a pleasure supporting this important project. Isabel and I are extremely pleased to know that Queen's students and the Kingston community will have the opportunity to hear performances by world-class artists in an exquisite concert hall."

Contact Information

Vincent Rabault, Press SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Infrastructure,Communities and Intergovernmental Affairsand Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canadafor the Regions of Quebec613-943-1848